The number of orphan wells in British Columbia has more than doubled thanks to the failure of one oil and gas company.

Earthquakes Canada reported a 4.5 magnitude quake Thursday that was felt in Fort St. John, Taylor, Chetwynd and Dawson Creek in the province's northeast, followed by a second quake 45 minutes later that measured 4.0.

The call for a formal inquiry comes after a 2013 report emerged showing that the B.C. Oil and Gas Commission estimated there may have been 900 instances of leaks, known as gas migration.